Coreopsis plant named ‘Cherry Blast’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of hybrid Coreopsis named ‘Cherry Blast’ that is characterized by its sturdy, well-branched plant habit reaching an average of 40 cm in height and 70 cm in width, its floriferous and long blooming season of sterile inflorescences that do not require deadheading; bloom commences in early July and lasts until frost in Kensington, Conn., its medium sized inflorescences with ray florets that are red-purple in color with paler markings towards the tips, its resistance to powdery mildew (Podosphaera macularis) and leafspot (Pseudomonas cichorii) and its cold hardiness at least to U.S.D.A. Zone 5a.

Botanical classification: Coreopsis hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Cherry Blast’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to U.S. Plant patent for a plant derived from the same breeding program that is entitled Coreopsis Plant Named ‘Berry Chiffon’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,414).

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR

The Applicant asserts that no publications or advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale, or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. The Applicant claims a prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date. Publications include but are not limited to website listings by Romence Gardens, Emerald Coast Growers, Faddegon's Nursery, Santa Rosa Gardens, Skagit Gardens, Sooner Plant Farm, and Griffin Plants and Seeds.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Coreopsis plant, botanically of hybrid origin and known as Coreopsis ‘Cherry Blast’ and will be referred to hereinafter by its cultivar name, ‘Cherry Blast’. The new cultivar of Coreopsis is an herbaceous perennial grown for landscape and container use.

The new Invention arose from an ongoing controlled breeding program in New Braintree, Mass. The objective of the breeding program is to develop hybrid cultivars of Coreopsis with unique and superior garden attributes. In particular, to develop cultivars that are long-lived, sturdy, exhibit a true perennial habit and cold hardy to at least U.S.D.A. Zone 5 in a wide range of flower colors and plant forms that do not require vernalization to intiate flowering.

The Inventor made a controlled cross in August of 2013 in New Braintree, Mass. between an unnamed and unpatented proprietary plant from his breeding program as the female parent and pollen that was pooled from a variety of unnamed and unpatented proprietary plants from his breeding program as the male parent. The exact characteristics of the pollen parent are therefore unknown. ‘Cherry Blast’ was selected in September of 2014 as a single unique plant amongst the resulting seedlings.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stem cuttings under the direction of the Inventor in Kensington, Conn. in September of 2014. Asexual propagation by stem cutting has shown that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘Cherry Blast’ as a unique cultivar of Coreopsis.

-   1. ‘Cherry Blast’ exhibits a sturdy, well-branched plant habit     reaching an average of 40 cm in height and 70 cm in width. -   2. ‘Cherry Blast’ exhibits a floriferous and long blooming season of     nearly sterile inflorescences that do not require deadheading; bloom     commences in early July and lasts until frost in Kensington, Conn. -   3. ‘Cherry Blast’ exhibits medium sized inflorescences with ray     florets that are red-purple in color with paler markings towards the     tips. -   4. ‘Cherry Blast’ exhibits resistance to powdery mildew (Podosphaera     macularis) and leafspot (Pseudomonas cichorii). -   5. ‘Cherry Blast’ exhibits cold hardiness at least to U.S.D.A. Zone     5a.

The female parent of ‘Cherry Blast’ differs from ‘Cherry Blast’ in having inflorescences with ray florets that are solid dark pink in color, in not being reliably hardy in U.S.D.A. Zone 5 and in having a taller plant height and more upright plant habit. ‘Cherry Blast’ can be most closely compared to Coreopsis cultivars ‘Berry Chiffon’ and ‘Ruby Frost’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,758). ‘Berry Chiffon’ is similar to ‘Cherry Blast’ in in having thread-leaf type foliage and in having a similar inflorescence shape and cold hardiness. ‘Berry Chiffon’ differs from ‘Cherry Blast’ in having inflorescences with ray florets that are creamy white in color with large plum colored eye zones. ‘Ruby Frost’ is similar to ‘Cherry Blast’ in having inflorescences of similar size and in having thread-like foliage. ‘Ruby Frost’ differs from ‘Cherry Blast’ in having inflorescences with ray florets that are creamy white in color with large plum colored eye zones, in being prone to powdery mildew when grown under similar conditions in New Braintree, Mass. and in not being cold hardy in U.S.D.A. Zone 5.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Coreopsis. The photographs were taken of a 3-month-old plant of ‘Cherry Blast’ as grown outdoors in a one-gallon container from a 30-cell plug in Kensington, Conn.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of ‘Cherry Blast’ and shows the plant habit in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the inflorescences of ‘Cherry Blast’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the photographic and printing technology utilized and the color values cited in the detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors of the new Coreopsis.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of 3-month-old plants of ‘Cherry Blast’ as grown outdoors in one-gallon containers in Kensington, Conn. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2015 Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—Blooms from early July until frost in             Kensington, Conn.         -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.         -   Plant habit.—Clump-forming, compact, upright leafy flowering             stems with inflorescences held above the foliage.         -   Height and spread.—An average of 32 cm in height and 30 cm             in width as grown in a one-gallon container and an average             of 40 cm in height and 70 cm in width when grown in the             landscape.         -   Cold hardiness.—At least to U.S.D.A Zone 5a.         -   Diseases and pests.—Resistance to powdery mildew             (Podosphaera macularis) and leafspot (Pseudomonas cichorii),             no susceptibility or resistance to pests has been observed.         -   Root description.—Fibrous and fine, NN155A in color.         -   Propagation.—Stem cuttings.         -   Time required for root initiation.—An average of 10 days for             root initiation.         -   Growth rate.—Vigorous. -   Stem description:     -   -   Shape.—Rounded to tetragonal, solid.         -   Stem color.—146A.         -   Stem strength.—Strong.         -   Stem size.—Main stems; an average of 15 cm in length and 3             mm in width, lateral stems; an average of 13 cm in length             (excluding peduncles) and 2 mm in width.         -   Stem surface.—Glabrous, smooth, and dull.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branched, an average of 20 basal             main stems, lateral stems typically branched as oppositely             arranaged pairs at each node, with an average of 4 lateral             stems (2 pairs) per main stem.         -   Internode length.—An average of 2.5 cm. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf margins.—Entire and trifid.         -   Leaf size.—Entire leaves; an average of 5 cm in length and 4             cm in width, trifid leaves; center lobe an average of 3.5 cm             in length and 4 mm in width, lateral lobes an average of 2             cm in length and in 2 mm width.         -   Leaf shape.—Narrow obanceolate.         -   Leaf base.—Cuneate.         -   Leaf apex.—Acute.         -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, inconspicuous, same color as leaf.         -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Leaf surface.—Upper and lower surfaces; smooth, dull, and             glaucous.         -   Leaf color.—Young and mature upper and lower surface; 147A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Composite with a single row of ray             florets surrounding disk florets in the center, forming a             radiant head, inflorescences are borne on branch terminals             in loose corymbs.         -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—8 to 10 days until senescence             of ray flowers, Phyllaries and disk flowers are persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Free flowering, an average of 5             corymbs per main branch, an average of 3 composites per             corymb.         -   Inflorescence size.—Corymbs; an average of 12 cm in length             and 6 cm in width, composite; an average of 1 cm in depth             and 4 cm in diameter with disk portion up to 8 mm in             diameter.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Globose in shape, an average of 5 mm in             depth and diameter, smooth and shiny surface; color; a blend             of 21A and 8B, suffused at the base with 146A, streaks of             183A held at the margins.         -   Peduncle.—Rounded in shape, moderately strong, an average of             6.5 cm in length and 1 mm in diameter, 146A in color, smooth             and glabrous surface. -   Phyllaries (involucral bracts):     -   -   Phyllary number.—2 rows; outer (lower) row 7, inner (upper)             row 8.         -   Phyllary arrangement.—Outer (lower) phyllaries; 5% fused,             held upwards with the apex and mid-section recurved             downwards, inner (upper) phyllaries; overlap and surround             receptacle with apical portion reflexed (campanulate-like).         -   Phyllary size.—Outer (lower) phyllaries; an average of 3 mm             in length and 2 mm in width, inner (upper) phyllaries; an             average of 5 mm in length and 4 mm in width.         -   Phyllary color.—Upper and lower surfaces, outer (lower)             phyllaries; 144A, margins 142B, inner (upper) phyllaries;             transluscent, 22A.         -   Phyllary texture.—Outer (lower) phyllaries; glabrous and             smooth on both surfaces, inner (upper) phyllaries; glabrous             and slightly waxy on both surfaces.         -   Phyllary apex.—Acute.         -   Phyllary base.—Truncate.         -   Phyllary shape.—Outer (lower) phyllaries; elliptic to             lanceolate, inner (upper) phyllaries; lanceolate. -   Ray florets (sterile):     -   -   Number.—8.         -   Shape.—Oblanceolate, with the appearance of 3 longitudinal             sections.         -   Size.—An average of 1.5 cm in length and 1 cm in width.         -   Apex.—Rounded with three rounded lobes.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margins.—Entire on sides with lobed and notched apex.         -   Aspect.—Held mainly horizontal and slightly upwards,             perpendicular to peduncle.         -   Texture.—Both surfaces; glabrous, dull, and satiny.         -   Color.—Upper surface when opening; 71A with spattering of             specks 155A towards the tip, lower surface when opening;             mostly 155A, upper surface when fully open (young); base 59A             and N77A, center to tip a blend of 64A and 70A with suffused             spots of NN155A, (mature) 59A and N77A, tip a blend of 71A             with small amounts of suffused spots of NN155A, lower             surface when fully open (young); 197C and 196C, lower             surface when fully open (mature); closest to N77D except             lighter, with light spots of 196C towards the tip. -   Disk florets (male and female):     -   -   Number.—An average of 80.         -   Shape.—Tubular, corolla is fused, flared at apex.         -   Size.—About 5 mm in length and 0.5 mm in width.         -   Color.—En masse; 21A, corolla; (tube) transluscent, 160B,             flared portion 167A.         -   Receptacle.—An average of 6 mm in diameter and 1 mm in             depth, 147A in color. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Presence.—Disk flowers only.         -   Gynoecium.—1 Pistil; an average of 7 mm in length, style;             very fine and 161B in color, bifid pillose, stigma; 163B in             color with recurved branches about 0.5 mm in length, ovary             is inferior, oblong in shape, an average of 1 mm in length             and 0.5 mm in width, and 144C in color.         -   Androecium.—4 stamens, fused into tube surrounding style, an             average of 3 mm in length and less than 0.5 mm in width,             202A in color, pollen is minimal in quantity and 163B in             color.         -   Seed.—Seed development has been observed to be very minimal;             nearly sterile, plants available for data collection did not             set seed. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Coreopsis plant named ‘Cherry Blast’ as herein illustrated and described. 